Personal Expertise Statement
My main non-academic passion is playing soccer, which is something I know how to do well. About two years ago, I started watching professional soccer. My good friend from high school had been a fan, so I tagged along in watching a game on an occasion. Overnight, I fell in love with the sport. Professional soccer is on the rise in the United States, and it felt great to become part of the fan movement. Of course, the urge to play in addition to watching was inevitable. It was only a year later that I was playing on my high school’s varsity team, enjoying every step of the way.
Naturally, the athletes I watched play the beautiful game inspired me. I would watch players like Ronaldinho dance through defenses and run outside and try to duplicate his moves. I began to dedicate countless hours to trying to play like my professional idols. I would try to make it outside at least once a day so I could practice everything I saw the pros do on television. I have vivid memories of sweltering summer days being spent practicing each skill repeatedly. I can remember setting up cones in the poring rain, and taking touches with both the inside and outside of my feet to weave in and out between them. The time I spent practicing was indispensable to me. Certainly there could be no better way to spend my time than by training to be like my idols, all the while getting exercise.
Although soccer is my passion, I am by no means a great player. Expertise implies ability near perfect, and I would be lying if I said I was an expert soccer player. Without a doubt I strive to be the best that I can be, and improving consistently is something that I will always be able to do. However, I wasn’t the star of my high school team nor do I see myself as the star on my current intramural team. However, the desire to want to improve and the joy the sport brings me motivate me to keep training. As the legend David Beckham once said, “Soccer is a magical game”.
My main non-academic passion is playing soccer, which is something I know how to do well. About two years ago, I started watching professional soccer. My good friend from high school had been a fan, so I tagged along in watching a game on an occasion. Overnight, I fell in love with the sport. Professional soccer is on the rise in the United States, and it felt great to become part of the fan movement. Of course, the urge to play in addition to watching was inevitable. It was only a year later that I was playing on my high school’s varsity team, enjoying every step of the way.
Naturally, the athletes I watched play the beautiful game inspired me. I would watch players like Ronaldinho dance through defenses and run outside and try to duplicate his moves. I began to dedicate countless hours to trying to play like my professional idols. I would try to make it outside at least once a day so I could practice everything I saw the pros do on television. I have vivid memories of sweltering summer days being spent practicing each skill repeatedly. I can remember setting up cones in the poring rain, and taking touches with both the inside and outside of my feet to weave in and out between them. The time I spent practicing was indispensable to me. Certainly there could be no better way to spend my time than by training to be like my idols, all the while getting exercise.
Although soccer is my passion, I am by no means a great player. Expertise implies ability near perfect, and I would be lying if I said I was an expert soccer player. Without a doubt I strive to be the best that I can be, and improving consistently is something that I will always be able to do. However, I wasn’t the star of my high school team nor do I see myself as the star on my current intramural team. However, the desire to want to improve and the joy the sport brings me motivate me to keep training. As the legend David Beckham once said, “Soccer is a magical game”.